New Delhi: It remained BJP’s Lok Sabha vs BJD’s Rajya Sabha for Odisha MPs during the first week of ongoing winter session of Parliament.
The BJP Lok Sabha MPs from Odisha have remained hyperactive and aggressive against the BJD Government raising several key issues like implementation of Ayushman Bharat scheme in Odisha, establishment of permanent bench of Orissa High Court in western Odisha, Archana Nag case and mining issue.
After chalking out a well-thought strategy, the BJP MPs including three Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Ashwini Vaishnaw and Bishweswar Tudu met Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in Parliament and demanded to put pressure on the BJD Government to implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme in the State.
Senior BJP MP Suresh Pujari has demanded a CBI probe into the Archana Nag case while Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi had alleged irregularities in mining in Odisha.
On last Friday, five BJP MPs from Western Odisha accused the State Government responsible for the present situation in Sambalpur. They have written a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik regarding establishment of a permanent bench of Odisha High Court in the western Odisha.
On the other hand, the Lok Sabha Members from Governing Biju Janata Dal (BJD) have remained quiet during the week. No MP from the BJD has objected or raised any issue in the floor or the House in the week. Except Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahtab who sought reply from Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on release of pending GST compensation to Odisha. However BJD MPs in the Lower House of the Parliament asked written questions.
Even no BJD MP from the Lok Sabha remained present when a delegation of BJD MPs on Friday met Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for starting passenger services on Paradip-Haridaspur railway line for the benefit of the people of Kendrapara.
Though the project is going to benefit the people of Kendrapara, Jajpur and Jagatsinghpur districts, the MPs from concerned LS constituencies have remained absent.
However, the Upper House members of the ruling party remained active during the week and participated in several discussions and raised a few demands of the BJD in the Rajya Sabha. Mainly senior leader and two-time MP Dr Sasmit Patra was leading the party in the Upper House. He had raised the demand for inclusion of three tribal languages spoken in Odisha within the Eight Schedule of Constitution.
Dr. Patra has also demanded passing of women reservation Bill in the Parliament at the earliest while the RS BJD Members met the Railways Minister on the above mentioned issue.